Sarasota Bay Fishing Report 10-10-2011

Capt. Rick Grassett’s Sarasota, FL Fishing Report
10/9/2011

Anglers fishing Sarasota Bay with me on my Action Craft flats skiff the Snook Fin-Addict, out of CB’s Saltwater Outfitters on Siesta Key, caught and released albies (little tunny), reds, trout, snook, blues and Spanish mackerel during the past week. Some of the best action was with albies on flies in the coastal gulf although there was also good action in skinny water with reds, trout and a nice snook. Visibility was good enough in shallow water that we were able to sight cast to some of the reds with jigs and flies.

Steve Gibson and I fished the coastal gulf off Siesta Key on Tuesday and had a good day with albies. We caught and released7 or 8 in the 8 to 10-pound class on small white flies. I threw my Snook Minnow fly and Gibby was using a small white fly that he tied. We had to work to stay on the fish, but they would eat when you got a fly into them. We caught and released a couple of trout and had some shots at reds with a fly on Wednesday’s trip in north Sarasota Bay, but the reds didn’t eat that day.

Mangrove Coast Fly Fishers member, Gene Mayberry from Bradenton, FL, went into the gulf with me on Thursday. He had a good day catching and releasing 8 or 10 albies on my Grassett Snook Minnow fly. Chad McCoy, from Bardstown, KY, his son Hunter and Hunter’s friend, Clay, fished Sarasota Bay with me on Friday. Chad fly fished while the boys threw CAL jigs, DOA Deadly Combos and plugs. They caught and released a few trout, bluefish and a Spanish mackerel near Bird Key. It was great to see everyone’s enthusiasm!
Randy Powell and Ben Hatcher, both from Sarasota, FL, had a good day fishing skinny water in north Sarasota Bay with me on Saturday. We had a terrible weather forecast for high winds and rain, but it never got that bad. We hugged the east shore of Sarasota Bay where they caught and released several trout, 3 reds and a nice snook on CAL jigs with plastic grubs. Ben landed the snook, a 28”, 7-pound plus fish to complete his slam for the day! The forecast was even worse for Sunday, but based on Saturday’s trip we decided to give it a shot. Tim Graham, from Nokomis, FL, and his guest, Aaron Way from Okeechobee, FL, fished the same areas with me and caught and released numerous trout, a 4-pound blue and a red that was sight-fished in skinny water on DOA Deadly Combos and CAL jigs with plastic grubs.

Tides will be good next week as we approach a full moon. Albies on the beach or reds and snook in skinny water should be good options depending on conditions.

Tight Lines,

Capt. Rick Grassett
Snook Fin-Addict Guide Service, Inc.
FFF Certified Fly Casting Instructor
(941) 923-7799
E-mail snookfin@aol.com
www.flyfishingflorida.net and www.snookfin-addict.com



Mangrove Coast Fly Fishers member, Gene Mayberry from Bradenton, FL, caught and released this albie on a Grassett Snook Minnow fly while fishing the coastal gulf off Sarasota with Capt. Rick Grassett.



Randy Powell, from Sarasota, FL, caught this slot red on a CAL jig with a plastic grub while fishing north Sarasota Bay with Capt. Rick Grassett.



Ben Hatcher, from Sarasota, FL caught and released this 29", 7-pound plus snook on a CAL jig with a plastic grub to complete his slam while fishing north Sarasota Bay with Capt. Rick Grassett.



Aaron Way, from Okeechobee, FL, caught and released this 4-pound blue on a DOA Deadly Combo while fishing Sarasota Bay with Capt. Rick Grassett.